


Shelter

by YoruNoTenshi (TVXQmamacita)



Category: DBSK | Tohoshinki | TVfXQ | TVXQ, Super Junior
Genre: Angst, Depression, Gen, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Mental Institutions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-11
Updated: 2017-12-11
Packaged: 2019-02-13 16:38:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12988110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TVXQmamacita/pseuds/YoruNoTenshi
Summary: Because Kyuhyun needs Changmin, but Changmin will always think Kyuhyun is his savior.





	Shelter

“Oh my God, Changmin,” Kyuhyun said with a huge smile on his face as Changmin sat next to him on the couch. “It’s so good to see you.”

Changmin smiled, looking down at his lap, his curly hair falling in front of his eyes.

“And you look like you’re doing a lot better,” Kyuhyun added. “I’m really happy.” He brought his hand to Changmin’s face, moving his hair behind his ear.

Changmin really did look better. Changmin was smiling again; The dark bags under his eyes seemed to be disappearing; Changmin’s lips were no longer chapped; and his cheeks were filling out. He was starting to look like his old self again.

“Have things still been better here for you?” Kyuhyun asked carefully. It was one thing to hear a positive report from the hospital. Kyuhyun wanted to hear it from Changmin.

To his relief, Changmin nodded.

“And there’s a new nurse here,” Changmin explained, the smile still on his face. “His name is Yunho. He’s really nice.”

Changmin wasn’t being forced to lie this time, Kyuhyun could see that. He seemed more at ease, and was more open to talking.

If he hadn’t noticed that, Kyuhyun probably would have burned this place down.

“And you ate, right?” Kyuhyun asked, earning another nod from Changmin

When Changmin had first been brought in here, it was nowhere near this good.

As promised, Kyuhyun came to see Changmin three days a week. Kyuhyun would have loved to come everyday if he could, but three days was all the hospital would allow.

When Changmin was first admitted, he was miserable, but it didn’t alarm Kyuhyun. Who wouldn’t be miserable after being forced to stay in a mental hospital because of a suicide attempt? He figured that with time, Changmin would come to see how necessary this was for him, and eventually he would get better.

Changmin only got worse.

By his second week, he was begging Kyuhyun to get him out. It physically pained Kyuhyun as Changmin broke down in tears, clutching him tightly as he kept saying how much “they” hurt him, how he just wanted to go home, how he’d find a way to get better on his own. As many years as Kyuhyun has known Changmin, he has never seen Changmin to be this vulnerable.

Kyuhyun wanted to break down and cry himself every time his visiting hour was up and he had to separate from Changmin’s hold. Changmin’s cries got even louder as Kyuhyun had to say his goodbyes, and Kyuhyun wished he could just grab Changmin and run, hoping Changmin would feel safe from whoever he was saying was hurting him.

No one ever knew who “they” were. Every time someone asked, Changmin would suddenly become silent, before just asking if he could be taken home. Once his request was denied, his tears would start to fall again.

During Changmin’s third week, when Kyuhyun asked Changmin if “they” were still hurting him, he’d shake his head and look away. If Kyuhyun tried to press the issue, Changmin would desperately beg him to change the subject, and seemed to relax a little more when Kyuhyun finally obliged.

By the fourth week, Kyuhyun couldn’t take it anymore. Something was wrong with Changmin, and there was no way he was going to sit idly while Changmin slowly deteriorated. 

Without Changmin’s knowledge, Kyuhyun visited the hospital, begging them to monitor Changmin more closely. Despite the many times the hospital staff accused Changmin of crying wolf just to seek attention, Kyuhyun knew Changmin too well to believe that. Changmin would never admit something was bothering him until it became too much, much less do something just for the sake of attention.

Finally, they got answers.

Exactly eleven days after Kyuhyun talked to the hospital staff, it was discovered that two of the nurses were abusing Changmin daily, and threatening to hurt him if he told anyone. The two nurses were fired right away, but that didn’t heal the anger Kyuhyun felt for the people that made Changmin feel like the threats were all in his head. It didn’t make Kyuhyun feel any less guilty over the fact that he should have taken action sooner. Immediately after everything was revealed, Kyuhyun rushed to the hospital, both he and Changmin sobbing uncontrollably as Kyuhyun apologized.

Kyuhyun wanted nothing more than for Changmin to be removed from the hospital immediately, but the Shims wouldn’t allow it, saying that if the threats were gone, then Changmin would be fine.

Despite the nurses gone, it still took a while before Changmin opened up to anyone, even Kyuhyun. Kyuhyun wasn’t mad at Changmin for that. Kyuhyun was the one that had failed him, and honestly wouldn’t have held it against Changmin if he wanted nothing to do with him anymore.

But for some reason, Changmin still wanted him to come visit, so Kyuhyun continued coming.

“I really missed you, Kyu,” Changmin says, breaking Kyuhyun from his thoughts. Changmin always told Kyuhyun how much he missed him, and it still pierced at Kyuhyun’s heart every time. Sure they were still allowed to see each other three days a week, but it wasn’t enough.

“I miss you too, Min,” Kyuhyun replied. “I promise once you get out of here I’m never leaving your side until you physically throw me away.” That wasn’t a joke. Kyuhyun didn’t realize how much of his life involved Changmin until Changmin was brought here, and then Kyuhyun felt how empty his life had suddenly become.

“Promise?” Changmin asked as he slowly wrapped his arms around Kyuhyun.

“Promise,” Kyuhyun said, returning the gesture. Changmin used to never give hugs as much as he does now. His displays of affection included punches and sarcasm, which Kyuhyun always returned in kind. However, Changmin always opted for hugs whenever Kyuhyun would come to see him. It seemed like that was the best source of comfort for Changmin. Even on days when Changmin had nothing to say, he’d hold Kyuhyun close, having Kyuhyun do all the talking. He didn’t care what Kyuhyun wanted to talk about, he just wanted to hear his voice.

“I really wanna go home,” Changmin said, his forehead resting on Kyuhyun’s shoulder.

“I know you do,” Kyuhyun acknowledged. “But for now, your healing is more important. You know that, right?”

Kyuhyun felt Changmin nod.

“Dr. Kim says I’ve improved,” Changmin said, closing his eyes as Kyuhyun started stroking his hair.

“You have,” Kyuhyun agreed. “I can tell. I’m really glad people here are being nice to you.”

Changmin felt Kyuhyun’s body tensing up at his own words. He broke the hug between the two of them in order to look Kyuhyun in the eyes. “Kyu,” he said. “It’s okay.”

“I know,” Kyuhyun said, already knowing what Changmin was talking about. “I just...I just want to make sure you’re being taken care of. I want you to be safe.”

Changmin smiled. “They’re gone,” he reminded. “I-I do feel safe.”

Kyuhyun nodded. He knew that he could believe what Changmin was saying, but that didn’t mean that he didn’t spend an unhealthy amount of time worrying about Changmin’s wellbeing.

“You believed me when no one else did,” Changmin continued. “You don’t have to feel bad.”

“Changmin, I should have done something sooner,” Kyuhyun argued.

“But you did,” Changmin said. “You kept coming to see me. You kept listening to me when no else did. You don’t realize how much that helped me but it really helped a lot.”

Kyuhyun sighed. “I’ll kill this Yunho guy myself if he does anything to you,” he threatened.

Changmin smiled. “I know,” he said. “And if you ever need to make due on that threat I’ll let you know.” He sighed. “How’s my family?”

Kyuhyun hated it when Changmin asked about his family. His parents were the first people Changmin told about what was happening to him, and they stopped coming to see him shortly after that. They were the ones that also believed Changmin’s claims were just a bunch of lies in order to get sent home. They found his behavior to be further proof that he had no appreciation for anything they had done for him, and just gave up on him.

Changmin’s sisters had believed him, but their parents didn’t allow them to see Changmin.

Kyuhyun didn’t have the heart to tell Changmin the truth about his family, but Changmin eventually figured it out anyway. Once his parents stopped coming without an explanation Changmin knew they had given up on him and Kyuhyun wondered how Changmin would ever start to heal at that point.

Kyuhyun couldn’t understand why any parent would be so unsupportive of their own son, especially when that son was already suffering a mental battle so fierce that almost resulted in his death more than once.

“They’re fine, Min,” Kyuhyun finally answered. “I talked to Sooyeon this morning. Her and Jiyeon really want to see you, so I’ll bring them when I come back on Friday.”

Changmin’s sisters are going behind their parents’ backs in order to come see Changmin, but that’s a detail Kyuhyun also decided not to disclose.

Changmin’s eyes seemed to get brighter at the news. “I miss them so much,” he said with a smile. “You’ll keep making sure they’re okay while I’m in here? I can’t watch over them while I’m in here.”

Kyuhyun smiled. “Of course I will,” he promised.

Changmin’s face dropped, and Kyuhyun noticed Changmin’s eyes watering.

“Hey,” Kyuhyun said gently. “They know how much you love them. They’ll never forget that.”

Changmin shook his head. “I’ve been a bad older brother to them,” he argued. “I haven’t been there for them like I should and...and Jiyeon was the one that found me when…”

“Stop, Changmin,” Kyuhyun begged. “They know how much you’re hurting. They know how much they mean to you. Please don’t doubt that. They still love you and they aren’t upset with you at all.”

Kyuhyun remembered getting the call from Jiyeon. He remembered the girl crying so much she couldn’t get her words out. Kyuhyun had already suspected the worst, and felt his legs go numb and dropped to the ground before Jiyeon was finally able to get out that Changmin was alive.

He was alive because Jiyeon got in a fight with her friend and left her party early, going straight home, only to find her brother bleeding out in the bathroom.

“I need to make it up to them,” Changmin continued.

Kyuhyun resumed the hug between the two of them. “They just want to see you, okay?” he said. “They just want to spend as much time with you as possible when you get out. You think you’ll be able to do that?”

Changmin nodded.

Kyuhyun laughed. “You’re going to have the three of us fighting for your attention you’ll hate us all.”

Changmin shifted, snuggling against Kyuhyun.

“And my parents,” Changmin said. “Do you think they’ll come see me eventually?”

Kyuhyun just wanted Changmin to stop asking these questions now.

Changmin knew how his parents felt about him; he always knew. But, for reasons Kyuhyun still couldn’t understand, all Changmin wanted was for his parents to be with him.

“I’m sure they will,” Kyuhyun finally said, rubbing Changmin’s back to comfort him. Kyuhyun wasn’t sure how convinced he sounded, but he really hoped Changmin didn’t notice anything.

Kyuhyun desperately needed to change the subject.

Instead of allowing Changmin to speak anymore about his family, Kyuhyun started talking about his own, especially his mother. The older woman was extremely fond of Changmin.

“You know, my mom misses you too,” Kyuhyun said. “She said once you get out of here, she wants you over. She can’t wait to cook for you again. You can probably imagine how happy she was when she found out you’ve started eating again.”

Changmin laughed. “You almost sound jealous,” he teased.

Kyuhyun scoffed. “I know you find this hard to believe for some reason, but I really am my mom’s favorite person,” he said proudly.

“Not Ahra?” Changmin said, earning a pout from Kyuhyun. “She’s everyone’s favorite, even mine.”

“What?” Kyuhyun asked in disbelief.

Changmin nodded. “She’s smarter, more talented, and definitely better looking,” he said with a laugh.

“Take that back!” Kyuhyun replied as Changmin continued laughing. “Anyone with eyes can see I’m extremely handsome.”

“Then they need glasses, Kyu,” Changmin replied.

Kyuhyun was about to make a comeback, but his heart dropped when he noticed a nurse walking towards them. Their visit time were over, but Kyuhyun wasn’t ready to let go of Changmin.

He was never ready.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” the male nurse said, causing Changmin to shift in Kyuhyun’s hold. “But visiting hours are coming to an end.” He turned to look at Changmin. “You have a group session scheduled today.”

Kyuhyun nodded sadly as he slowly let go of Changmin.

“Thank you for coming to see me,” Changmin said.

“I always will,” Kyuhyun promised.

Changmin smiled as he slowly stood up. “Kyuhyun, this is Yunho,” Changmin introduced, pointing to the nurse next to him. “He’s the nurse I told you about.”

Kyuhyun stood up as well. “Nice to meet you,” he said to Yunho.

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Yunho replied with a smile. “It’s nice to see the face behind so many of Changmin’s stories.”

Kyuhyun couldn’t help but feel flattered at the fact that Changmin was talking so much about him while he was in here. He figured most of the stories Changmin were telling were the embarrassing ones, but Kyuhyun was fine with that as long as it was making Changmin happy.

Changmin reached over and quickly hugged Kyuhyun once more. “You’ll come back on Friday?”

“Of course I will,” Kyuhyun answered.

“And you’ll bring Sooyeon and Jiyeon?”

“I promise,” Kyuhyun said. “The three of us are coming to see you. They can’t wait.”

Changmin smiled, saying his goodbyes one more time before Yunho lead Changmin out of the lobby.

Kyuhyun watched as the two of them took their leave. With a sigh of content, Kyuhyun slowly made his way out of the building. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number. The phone rang twice before he got an answer. “Hey,” he said. “I just left the hospital. He’s doing really well, and he can’t wait to see the two of you on Friday.”


End file.
